Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 138, The Harry and Carol Djanogly Gallery

Vase

1768-1780 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Vase of black basalt, with applied decoration moulded in relief. On one side are figures of 'The Three Graces' in an oval medallion. Ovoid body with grooved recurved shoulder from which rise two curled acanthus-leaf handles connected by festoons of foliage. Spreading foot supported on a square plinth moulded with conventional ornament in sunk panels.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Black basalt with applied decoration moulded in relief
Brief description
Vase decorated with medallion showing 'The Three Graces,' black basalt, Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd., Etruria (Stoke-on-Trent), 1768-1780
Physical description
Vase of black basalt, with applied decoration moulded in relief. On one side are figures of 'The Three Graces' in an oval medallion. Ovoid body with grooved recurved shoulder from which rise two curled acanthus-leaf handles connected by festoons of foliage. Spreading foot supported on a square plinth moulded with conventional ornament in sunk panels.
Dimensions
  • Height: 29.8cm
  • Width: 18.4cm
Marks and inscriptions
'WEDGWOOD & BENTLEY ETRURIA' (In relief on an applied circular medallion)
Credit line
Transferred from the Museum of Practical Geology, Jermyn Street
Object history
The medallion showing 'The Three Graces' is based directly on an engraved gem signed 'Pichler' in Greek, from the collection of Prince Stanislas Poniatowski. Luigi Pichler (1773-1854) is said to have made gems for the Prince, but the signature is probably that of his brother Giovanni (or Johannes; 1734-1791). A cast of the gem was made by James Tassie and published made moulds of the Portland Vase (then in Rome, now British Museum) and sent them to James Tassie in Scotland for casting. The Portland Vase was later reproduced by Wedgwood.
Subjects depicted
Collection
Accession number
2396-1901

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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